Frisco ISD, McKinney ISD Educators Earn Teachers on the Rise Honors

Sydney Rorick teaches at Eddins Elementary in McKinney, Amanda Nava works the halls of Cockrill Middle School, and Olivia McGaughey stands in front of classrooms at Frisco ISD's Emerson High School. All three were named February honorees in the fifth annual Teachers on the Rise program, selected from nominations submitted by students and families across the region.

Rorick and Nava both teach within McKinney ISD, spanning elementary and middle school levels. McGaughey represents Frisco ISD's presence among this month's honorees, adding to a string of recent recognitions for educators across both districts.

The Teachers on the Rise program annually highlights educators nominated directly by the communities they serve, with this cycle's honorees chosen from a pool of nominations submitted by students and families across the region.

The recognition lands amid a season of teacher honors across Collin County. Frisco ISD's 2023-24 Teachers of the Year, Tara Yell from Bledsoe Elementary and Scott Frantz from Lawler Middle School, were celebrated at the National Soccer Hall of Fame, where nominees and winners received backpacks filled with community-sponsored gifts. Yell, a first-grade teacher with nearly 17 years in the district, has championed inclusive teaching and literacy throughout her career. Frantz, who joined Lawler three years ago as a special education inclusion teacher, now works in the school's SAIL classroom, supporting students who need focused help with social skills, behavior, and academic development.

"The nominations we received for these Campus Teachers of the Year were awe-inspiring," FISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Waldrip said. "From campus-wide initiatives to making incremental changes that make a world of difference, all of the winners know their students by name and need."

Frisco ISD also recently celebrated two Teachers of the Month through a CoServ and FC Dallas partnership: Mackenzie Nadeau, a third-grade teacher at Talley Elementary with three years entirely in Frisco ISD, and Brody McLemore, an AP Physics and advanced biology teacher at Heritage High School who has spent nine years in the district. McLemore also sponsors Science Olympiad and Volleyball Club. Both were surprised with a check presentation, a personalized FC Dallas jersey, and tickets to an upcoming match.